The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector holder for mounting an electrical connector thereon and more particularly, to an electrical connector mounting construction of the electrical connector holder, which is capable of increasing holding force for the electrical connector.
Electrical connectors coupled with wiring harnesses for a motor vehicle are, for example, inserted into electrical connector mounting portions of a junction box, a relay box, an electrical connector holder, etc. so as to be mounted on the electrical connector mounting portions.
FIG. 1 shows a known electrical connector 1 of this kind. In order to mount the known electrical connector 1 on a prior art electrical connector holder shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the known electrical connector 1 is provided with a pair of slide shoes la and a locking claw 1b.
Meanwhile, the prior art electrical connector holder is made of synthetic resin and includes a holder body 2. The holder body 2 has a vertical wall portion 2a such that the slide shoes la of the known electrical connector 1 are inserted into opposite sides of the vertical wall portion 2a, respectively, in the direction of the arrow A. The holder body 2 further has a locking portion 2b formed at an upper central portion of the vertical wall portion 2a in the direction of the arrow A. The locking portion 2b is constituted by a projecting engageable pawl 2b-l 1 engageable with the locking claw 1b and a locking opening 2b-2 disposed below the engageable pawl 2b-1.
Since the slide shoes la are inserted into the vertical wall portion 2a, the vertical wall portion 2a has a quite small wall thickness of, for example, about 0.8 mm and thus, the vertical wall portion 2a should be reinforced. To this end, a pair of ribs 2e are provided on a rear face 2c of the vertical wall portion 2a so as to extend in the direction of the arrow A at opposite sides of the locking portion 2b such that lower end portions of the ribs 2e are coupled with the holder body 2.
However, even if only the ribs 2e are provided, strength of the vertical wall portion 2a is low, so that the vertical wall portion 2a is likely to be deformed when the known electrical connector 1 is mounted on or detached from the prior art electrical connector holder. As a result, such a problem arises that due to a drop of holding force for the known electrical connector 1, the known electrical connector 1 is readily detached from the prior art electrical connector holder.
In order to further increase strength of the vertical wall portion 2a, an upper portion or a side portion of the rib 2e may be coupled with the holder body 2. However, since the holder body 2 is formed with the locking opening 2b-2, molding dies 10A and 10B for molding the holder body 2 are split as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, it is difficult to form a coupling portion between the ribs 2e and the holder body 2.
If a slit for drawing the molding dies is formed on the vertical wall portion 2a, it is possible to form a coupling portion for coupling the ribs 2e with the holder body 2. However, if the slit is disposed adjacent to the locking opening 2b2, strength of the vertical wall portion 2a in the vicinity of the locking opening 2b-2 drops undesirably.